It is estimated that each year thousands of scientists in various institutions use radiochemically labelled chemicals in their work for clinical and diagnostic purposes. Such institutions include biomedical research centers, universities, clinics, hospitals, medical schools, laboratories and physicians, offices. As a consequence of use of radiochemically labelled materials, these institutions generate waste, in both solid and liquid form, which is contaminated with low levels of radioactivity. These wastes are generally referred to as low-level radioactive wastes, abbreviated as LLRW. See article entitled, "Low-Level Radioactive Waste From U.S. Biomedical and Academic Institutions: Policies, Strategies and Solutions", A. Wilkerson et al, Annu. Rev. Public Health, 1989, 10:299-377.
LLRW disposal has become extremely expensive due to complex regulatory requirements, both by the federal and state governments. These complex regulatory requirements reflect the publics' pressure based on their perception and apprehension of radioactive wastes in general resulting from mishaps in nuclear power plants and nuclear production facilities. Nevertheless, the complex governmental regulations have imposed stringent duties and liabilities on all generators of radioactive wastes, including LLRW generated in various institutions. Consequently, institutional generators of LLRW are finding it increasingly necessary to develop an efficient and economical means for disposing these wastes.
In an article entitled"Design and Evaluation of A Cart For the Collection and Segregation of Low-Level Radioactive Waste, by Robert C. Klein et al., Health Physics, Vl. 57, No. 6 (December 1989), pages 993-994, a metal cart was described for use in the collection of institutional LLRW. This was an all steel cart with Lucite and lead shielded walls. Since, this cart weighed over 200 pounds it proved too heavy to maneuver within the narrow hallways, elevators and corridors of various institutions such as universities, hospitals, clinics and research laboratories. In order to impart the requisite shielding property to these carts, the steel or metal was covered with Lucite sheets of approximately one inch in thickness or more which added to the weight of the cart. Accordingly, efforts were made to replace the all metal cart with a plastic cart in order to significantly reduce the weight of the cart and hence improve its maneuverability. Replacement of metal with polyethylene results in a significant decrease in cart weight, and polyethylene, like Lucite, affords adequate shielding against low energy .beta. -particles but insufficient or inadequate shielding against high energy .beta. -particles or against X-rays and .gamma. -rays often emitted from LLRW.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a cart for collection and disposal of LLRW which is relatively light in weight and hence readily maneuverable within confined spaces in institutional generators.
It is also an object of this invention to provide a light weight, highly maneuverable cart with adequate shielding property against both low energy .beta. -particles and high energy .beta. -particles as well as against X-rays and .gamma. -rays.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a light weight cart for collection and disposal of LLRW generated in various universities, clinics, biochemical research centers, hospitals, medical schools, physicians' offices, and like institutions.
The foregoing and other objects and features of the present invention will become more apparent from the ensuing detailed description and the corresponding drawings.